


Revelations

by Doombringer (d00m)



Series: Black and Blue (and a little Red too) [4]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: Attempted Rape, Crack, Drabble, M/M, it's so fluffy I'm gonna die, ooc moments, pitiful attempt at humor, shameless self-insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-01-13
Packaged: 2017-11-25 09:41:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/637555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d00m/pseuds/Doombringer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At times like this he was reminded of what Bane really was; just a man.</p><p>Sequel to Opportunities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revelations

**Author's Note:**

> **Trigger Warning** Attempted Rape just so y'all know I've left a trio of Asterisks*** at the start of the segment including it as an extra forewarning 
> 
> Also, it's super fluffy. 
> 
> Non Beta'd

Sometimes, Bane would visit Blake in the cave. He had no idea how the guy managed to get in without getting wet or terrifying all the kids moving in upstairs. Bane was simply there when he got home from work or would show up in ungodly hours of the night while Blake was trying to sleep.  
  
Apparently, when Bane wanted sexy time he would go through extreme lengths to get it.  
  
Christ, the guy could be a horny bastard sometimes.  
  
Blake didn’t mind that much. The sex was good and Bane usually hung around afterwards unless he had something “important” to take care of. It was pretty awkward on the bed because it was just a twin mattress which forced them lie on top of each other.  
  
Blake preferred curling up on his chest; Bane preferred crushing him.  
  
What was worse,on the rare nights that Blake was allowed to sleep on top of him he snored.  
  
 _Loud._  
  
Blake wouldn’t have minded that much  (at St. Swithin’s he shared a dorm with two other boys whose snores ended up being perfectly synchronized into a super-snore) except the way the mask distorted his voice made Bane’s snoring sound _fucking terrifying_.  
  
And Blake was too scared to wake him up and make him roll over. The first time he tried to get him awake by shaking him but Bane had grabbed Blake and tossed him off the bed; his temple clipped the nightstand and left a large bloody mess on the floor in the process.  
  
Apparently being a mercenary slash terrorist for the majority of your life makes you instinctively attack anything that wakes you up prematurely.  
  
Which kind of sucked right now because a bat had gotten into his little apartment and was flying around above his head while Godzilla roared on underneath him.  
  
Bane was pretty good about closing the door and replacing the towel after coming in. But, in the heat of the moment Blake figured he had either forgotten, or had hadn't secured the towel well enough.    
  
The bat kept fluttering around in circles and occasionally landing on the crown moulding before taking off again. He could hear the sound of it chirping in distress amidst Bane’s dinosaur impressions as it looked for a way to escape.  
  
Poor little disgusting disease-infested fucker.  
  
Blake very carefully slipped off of Bane and fumbled for his boxers in the dark. He was simply going to open the door so the bat could fly out when said flying rodent flew a hair’s breadth from his face before veering off.  
  
“FUCK!”  
  
He stumbled backwards in alarm and fell onto the bed which in turn did the very thing Blake had been trying not to do. Bane let out a snarl and promptly pinned his imagined attacker against the wall; growling that gobbledygook language again while he wrenched Blake’s arms around his back.  
  
“Bane! It’s me!” He choked out.  
  
Bane let out a groan of annoyance and quickly released him before fumbling for the lamp.  
  
“What on earth-” He muttered  
  
The bat nosedived and alsmost smacked into Bane’s shoulder before he swatted it away like it was a mosquito. It turned and flitted past Blake’s face who moved away from it like it had the plague (either that or rabies; bats are one of the number one carriers after all) Bane chuckled before getting up to let the bat out. He opened the door and the bat made a beeline for it before flying out to where the rest of his colony probably were nesting.  
  
“You are frightened of bats as well?”  
  
“It could have rabies or some shit... and what do you mean by as well?”  
  
“Mister Wayne was also frightened by bats.”  
  
“How do you know that? Did you really train with him?”  
  
Bane’s eyes lit up and he swore he was smiling.  
  
“Excellent work Detective- we did not train together but we had the same mentor.”  
  
“I fucking _knew it_.”  
  
Bane chuckled and moved to sit down next to him on the bed, tracing the newly formed bruises on Blake’s wrists from their earlier scuffle with an apologetic look in his eyes.  
  
“Our mentor was a man by many names, but his title of leadership for our organization was Ra’s al Ghul.”  
  
“Rahs al what?”  
  
“It means the ghoul’s head- or more commonly the demon’s head. It depends on translation.”  
  
“Did he try to destroy Gotham too?”  
  
Bane’s eyes crinkled in amusement.  
  
“Twice.”  
  
Blake’s eyes widened.  
  
“The first time they tried creating an economic depression which would send your city into perpetual decay; it however, did not work-”  
  
Blake remembered learning about this in economics. It was the only thing he remembered about the class (otherwise he slept in the back of the room until someone threw paper wads at him or the teacher woke him up to give him detention for sleeping in her class again).  
  
“Because Thomas and Martha Wayne got...”  
  
Blake swallowed feeling a twinge in his chest. Bane saw the look on his face and nodded. Bane had read his file, he was aware the same had happened to his father.  
  
“Their deaths inspired the wealthy of Gotham to pool their resources and preserve the city like the Waynes had been previously doing alone.”  
  
“However, two decades later they struck again.”  
  
“The incident in the Narrows?”  
  
Blake remembered that first hand. He and the other kids at St. Swithin’s were crowded around the T.V. watching people rip themselves apart and scream at things that weren’t there. It was the first time anyone had  gotten footage of Batman too and Blake was enthralled.  
  
“I thought Crane-”  
  
“He helped us, yes.”  
  
“You were there too?”  
  
Blake saw Bane’s eyes grew dark and he turned away.  
  
“No.”  
  
“Oh, sorry.”  
  
“Bruce killed Ra’s in order to save the City- he did not do it directly but his actions led to his untimely death. And we who remained planned to finish what he had started. But first we needed to know everything we could about Bruce Wayne since he would obviously be a hinderance. So, I looked through all of our leader’s journals and other writings and learned of Bruce’s darkest fears and deepest regrets. Bruce saw the man as a surrogate father- he told him everything.”

Bruce betraying the man he thought of as a father. Gee, that souded familiar. 

  
“So that’s how you learned about the bats.”  
  
“Bats frightened him, yes. I deduced that is why he chose to become one- to frighten others. You must become what you fear if you wish to conquer it.”  
  
Blake made a sound of understanding and glanced up at the clock on the wall; it was four in the morning and Blake had today off from work which meant he could sleep in. Suddenly, a bat flew straight up into his face causing him to flinch and fall over in a flurry of cussing. Bane laughed at him.  
  
“You forgot to towel the door again.” Blake groaned.  
  
“My mistake.”  
  
“Is it the same one?”  
  
“Possibly.”  
  
Bane reopened the door and the bat flew out again.  
  
“I think they like you.”  
  
“They can hang with me once they’ve had their vaccinations.”  
  


* * *

  
  
Because of the Bat incident neither of them could go back to sleep but Bane felt like sticking around anyway. Blake was hungry so he made himself some cereal for an early breakfast.  
  
He felt quite awkward eating in front of Bane since the guy couldn’t join him. He felt like he was eating in front of a starving kid. Bane didn’t seem to mind. He mostly glared disapprovingly on Blake’s food choices.   
  
“It is no wonder your physical progress is so slow. Do you realize what kinds of poisons you are putting in your body?”  
  
“It’s Froot Loops.” Blake quipped; his mouth full of the sugary cereal. “Kids eat this all the time.”  
  
After growing up on Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran at the Orphanage he indulged himself in the sugariest and most colorful cereals he could. It was like trying to relive his childhood.  
  
“And their parents should be punished.” Bane replied, “For allowing their offspring to consume it.”  
  
Blake cocked an eyebrow at him.  
  
“Someone’s pretty butthurt about what parents feed their kids.”  
  
“If anyone here is going to be _butt-hurt_ , Detective. It will be you.”  
  
Blake almost choked on his cereal; but only because he was laughing so hard. Bane stared at him incredulously.  
  
“I am serious.”  
  
Blake’s sides were aching and his lungs burned. He couldn’t finish what was left of his cereal so he went to clean out his bowl in the Bathroom sink.  
  
“You are also wasteful.”  
  
“You told me not to eat it.”  
  
Bane shook his head in that _“I am so disappointed in you, Detective Blake”_ manner.  
  
“I will set up a diet plan for you.” he said.  
  
“Right.”  
  


* * *

 

As it turns out Bane was serious. Both about the butthurt and the diet plan. Blake didn’t mind the latter as much even though he was plenty sore for the rest of the day.  
  
The next evening Blake had gone to work then had dinner with Gordon and Sarah. He then drove out past the Palisades District into the forest which concealed the Cave. He parked his car and hid it with some branches before hiking a quarter mile to his home.  
  
When he got to the mouth of the Cave he was in for a surprise.  
  
Why were the bats flying out? It wasn’t even dark yet.  
  
And what was that smell?  
  
Blake ran to a pile of rocks near the mouth of the cave and pulled out a pair of fishing waders he used to keep his clothes and from getting ruined. He then grabbed a rope and swung into the cavern.  
  
Bane was burning all of his food on the rising platform.  
  
His sugary cereal, his ramen, his powdered mac n’ cheese, and his leftover takeout. His ketchup? He’d been living on this stuff since he was eighteen!  
  
Fucker.  
  
The bats were confused by the smoke and thinking their home was on fire. Blake had to swat them away as he tromped through the water in his fishing waders.  
  
“I hope you’re replacing those.” He called, nodding to the burning food.  
  
Bane seemed to be enjoying himself immensely as he tossed in the bag of Oreos Blake had only eaten on special occasions. When he saw him his eyes lit up.  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Blake pulled off the waders and went into the apartment. There were several empty grocery bags piled in the corner.  
  
Bane had left his milk alone, as well as some other condiments. His mini fridge was stuffed with what appeared to be market fresh spinach, mixed berries, other assorted fruits and vegetables, as well as a new carton of eggs.  
  
There was whole grain wheat bread, some granola and oatmeal, as well as some assorted bags of dry beans and rice. A bottle of salad oil? Ew. He preferred ranch but _someone_ had burnt it. There were also a large assortment of spices with weird names that he had never even heard of.    
  
A deep freeze?  
  
How on earth did Bane get a deep freezer in here?  
  
Inside the freezer was some meats, mostly fish and chicken with a few cuts of beef- no, it was lamb.  
  
How much did he pay for this?  
  
Blake wandered outside of the apartment and saw Bane tossing in the last packets of ramen before sitting down cross-legged by the fire; looking content at his handiwork.  
  
Blake wondered if Bane was that weird kid in school who stole his father’s lighter and set fire to stuff during recess. He definitely had a penchant for burning things. Blake joined him by the fire; his nose crinkling at the unpleasant odor of burning junk food.  
  
“How did you get that stuff down here?”  
  
Bane glanced over at him.  
  
“Through the elevator.”  
  
“There are dozens of kids living upstairs.”  
  
“They do not use that room; it is off limits to everyone besides the head Caretaker.”  
  
“How did you get in the building then?”  
  
Bane gave him an amused look before turning to watch the fire.  
  
“Someday, you will learn.”  
  
“You carried a deep freezer down here.”  
  
“As I said, you will learn Detective.”  
  
They sat and watched the fire for a while. Bane really did like having a campfire didn’t he? There was always one lit in his “bedroom” when he came to spar or fuck (sometimes both) at the warehouse. He would even set one up in the cave on occasion.  
  
Blake only liked fires if  marshmallows were involved. But, Bane’s idea of roasting marshmallows was obviously much different from his own.  
  
“Why do you light fires all the time.?” He asked suddenly.  
  
Bane turned to look at him. His grey eyes were flickering over his face and they looked almost... sad? No. Sentimental? Maybe. He turned away from Blake and stirred a bit of the glowing coals with a poker (which must have come with the groceries because Blake obviously didn’t have or need one).  
  
“It reminds me of home.” Bane replied.  
  
“Where is your home?”  
  
Bane gave him a warning look so Blake simply nodded in understanding and scooted a little closer to him. The ex-terrorist  wasn’t much of a cuddler but that didn’t stop him; damn it.  
  
Bane frowned at him when Blake rested his head against his shoulder and hung onto his left arm. He was wearing that tight-fitting black shirt that Blake loved so much which showed off his massive forearms. So he traced the exposed skin from the elbow to the end of his wrist which caused Bane to clench his hand into a fist.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
“Cuddling.” Blake replied innocently.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because.”  
  
“We cannot couple after what I did to you last night.”  
  
“People can cuddle without having sex.”  
  
Blake reached down and played with Bane’s fingers; gently coaxing his clenched hand open. Bane made a soft sound which was almost lost to the hiss of the mask as he turned his palm upwards so Blake could trace his fingers over the nicked and calloused flesh.  
  
Blake still felt guilt over the fact that he was sleeping with this man. But at times like this he was reminded of what Bane really was; just a man who had most likely grown up in a darker world. He wondered what would have become of Bane if he hadn’t became a mercenary and got caught up with terrorists. What if he had never come to Gotham at all? What if he never had to put on that mask? Would Bane have used his strength to protect people like Bruce had done?  
  
Bane made another sound and leaned into Blake.  
  
“You like cuddling don’t you Bane?” Blake asked with a hint of snark.  
  
“I did not say that I disliked this form of intimacy.” Bane replied.  
  
“You never tell me what you do like.”  
  
“I told you I enjoyed our sex-.”  
  
“Yeah, but what else do you like?” Blake insisted.  
  
“I do not understand.”  
  
Blake frowned and burrowed his nose into Bane’s shoulder for a moment to think. He decided to start with the basics.  
  
“What’s your favorite color?”  
  
“Blue.” Bane said, almost immediately.  
  
“What kind of blue?” He continued.  
  
“Any shade will do.”  
  
“Why do you like it?”  
  
Bane turned to face him, his eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.  
  
“At home, there was not much color to be seen. Unless you wished to make someone bleed of course, the only other thing that stood out was the sky on clear days it was so...”  
  
His voice sounded broken- wistful.  
  
“Wow.” Was all Blake could say.  
  
“What is your favorite color, Detective?”  
  
“Blue.”  
  
Bane let out a soft chuckle and pulled his hand away from Blake’s ministrations to drape his arm around the smaller man. Blake let out a sigh of pleasure.  
  
“I suppose we have that in common. What shade?”  
  
“Any kind.” Blake murmured soaking in Bane’s intense warmth.  
  
“And why?”  
  
“I don’t know.”

* * *

  
  
Blake wasn’t sure how to cook half of the stuff Bane bought for him. There were measurements and limits to how much he could have in a day; so Blake couldn’t just eat all the good or easy food at once without a swift reprimand and a dunk in the lake.  
  
After complaining enough Bane finally relented and showed him how to make some pretty interesting stuff; like Indian and Thai food (which explained the spices).    
  
He never thought of Bane as a chef; it must have been the whole mask thing.  
  
“You know,” Blake told him while munching on some chicken with peanut sauce. “This whole diet plan isn’t that bad.”  
  
Bane smiled at him. Well, it was like a squint but he could see the laugh-lines at the corners of his eyes so it must have been a smile underneath that hardware. If Bane could cook so well that meant he must eat like a normal person. Which meant the mask had to come off at some point.  
  
Either that or Bane just needed a hobby that didn’t involve hurting people.  
  
Blake decided that if Bane never became a terrorist he would have become a chef.  
  
“Can I ask you a personal question?”  
  
Bane sighed in annoyance.  
  
“Yes Detective, I take the it off to eat and drink.”  
  
“Why can’t you do it now?”  
  
Bane gave him _that_ look so he dropped it.    
  
“Can I ask something else?”  
  
“Does it involve my eating habits?”  
  
“Kind of.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“What’s your favorite food?”  
  
Bane looked at him, then looked off into the distance like he was thinking. Blake was impressed that he was putting so much thought into this question. Blake’s favorite meal was a hot greasy  burger with a side of french fries, a Coke (not Pepsi because _ew_ ), and  gravy to dip the fries in. When he had scraped enough money to go out (a lifetime ago, before the occupation and... whatever this was)  that was what he would always get. It was his comfort food. He would tell anyone that in a heartbeat.  
  
“Strawberries.”  
  
Seriously?  
  
“Just strawberries?” Blake replied.  
  
“You were expecting something more...exotic?”  
  
“For a guy who’s obviously well-traveled, yeah.”  
  
“For me Strawberries are exotic. Since they are native to North America and I did not set foot in the United States until I came to Gotham.”  
  
Weird. But it made sense.  
  
“Okay, why do you like them?”  
  
Bane frowned for a moment as if he was visiting his imaginary thinking chair again.  
  
“I do not know.”

* * *

 

“So, you’re gay right?” Genevieve asked him.  
  
Blake frowned at her while stacking the latest books on the shelves near the front of the store.  
  
“Uh... who wants to know?”  
  
“I already know, I just need to hear you say it.” She told him.  
  
God, her voice was so nasally he just- ugh. It was like a _Fargo_ parody. A bad one.  
  
“Yeah. I’m gay.”     
  
She pumped her fist in the air and made a “woohoo” noise.  
  
“Chloe owes me fifty bucks.”  
  
Chloe was one of the girls who usually was just getting off work when Blake was coming in. She was tall, slim, with silvery blonde hair and tanned skin. A lot of the male customers would hit on her the rare times they worked together.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Chloe and I were talking about you because she  was wondering why you never flirted with her like everyone else. I said that you were gay and she didn’t believe me because you don’t match the “sassy gay guy” stereotype... dumb bitch. So I decided to con her out of fifty bucks.”  
  
Weren’t people from the Midwest supposed to be nice?  
  
“I never told you that I was.” Blake retorted.  
  
“You never stop ogling the hot guys when they come in here. You look at them like they’re meat.”  
  
So, the reason why Genevieve was usually so quiet was because she was watching him. He suddenly became a little weirded out and embarrassed. Even though he was sure if he hit on anyone else Bane would pluck out their eyes and sever their spinal cords (rendering them quadriplegic) But, that didn't stop him from enjoying at the eye candy when it passed by.  
  
“It’s such a shame, all the girls think you’re pretty cute too.” Genevieve continued while frowning at another _Fifty Shades_ knockoff before she added it to the shelf.  
  
“Cute? I’m fucking manly as hell.”  
  
She snorted.  
  
“See? You’re adorable when you’re pissed off.”  
  
“Am not I’m scary.”  
  
“Yeah, you totally strike fear into the heart of your enemies. I’m so frightened.”  
  
If she wasn’t a girl Blake would have smacked her. Then again he’d been hanging out with Bane so long his first instinct was to punch anyone who crossed him.  
  
Bane was obviously becoming a bad influence.  
  
“So, oh Frightening One, do you have a boyfriend?”  
  
“Sort of. Why?”  
  
“This guy on a motorcycle has been sitting outside the store for ten minutes. He won’t stop staring at us. I don’t have any friends or family around, nor am interesting enough to have a stalker so he must be here for you.”  
  
Blake glanced up and out the shop window. He didn’t have to see Bane’s face; he knew that body well enough. He was wearing brown riding leathers and a bright red Motorcycle Helmet. He sat there on his bike, one leg acting as a kickstand as if he was ready to take off at any moment.  
  
Waiting.  
  
“You get off in another five minutes right?” she asked.  
  
“Yeah, as soon as Chloe comes in.”  
  
“Just go.”  
  
“But-”  
  
“I can handle this.”  
  
Blake gathered his jacket and some other things and went out to meet him.On his way over Chloe stepped out of her car and waved; Blake simply looked her in the eye.  
  
“Yeah, totally gay.” He pointed at Bane “That’s my boyfriend.”  
  
Chloe gawked as Blake strutted over to his “boyfriend”.   
  
“What’s the fucking deal here?” he hissed, his voice low enough so the exasperated Chloe couldn’t hear them as she went inside.  
  
“I wanted to see you.” Bane replied under the helmet, “Get on.”  
  
“What about my car?”  
  
“I will take you to work the next day so you can collect it.”  
  
Blake huffed and got onto the motorcycle; wrapping his arms around Bane’s waist.  
  
“Where are we going?”  
  
“You will see.” he replied as they sped off.

* * *

***

Wherever they were going, Bane was taking his sweet time getting there. Soon, night fell upon the city and the creatures came out to play.  
  
Blake saw the ladies and (some gentlemen) of the night slinking out on the corners in droves he hadn’t seen since before the Dent Act. Some of them looked pretty young; probably barely legal- if not legal at all.  
  
Back before the Dent Act the Mob controlled the majority of prostitution in the city. After they were wiped out there were very few illegal sex workers who remained out for fear of the harsh penalties instated with the new laws. This meant only one thing.  
  
 _The Mob was back._  
  
“Jesus Christ.” He whispered.  
  
Bane turned his head to the side as if he heard him above the roar of the motorcycle. As they continued, the streets got emptier and it was starting to rain. Soon, Bane and Blake were the only humans on a moving vehicle.  
  
Gothamites learned very quickly to never go out after dark; unless their business was unsavory or they were cops. It was a habit developed from the Occupation; and the Joker’s “Reign of Terror”.  
  
Nothing good ever happens in the dark.  
  
Well, sex was good. If it was consensual of course.  
  
Speaking of which....  
  
“Let me go, please!”  
  
“Come on, you slut let’s see those nice tits of yours.”  
  
Both Bane and Blake turned at the sound of a scream and the tearing of fabric. In an alleyway nearby six men had just ripped the shirt of a young woman; revealing her bra which another man was in the process of sawing off with a pocketknife. Bane pulled a bright red ski mask out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Blake who prompltly pulled it on.  
  
“What is this?”  
  
“A test.” Bane replied.  
  
“P-Please... I have kids they need me-” The woman whimpered.  
  
One of the men (obviously the leader)  pulled out a gun and pressed it against her head. While the one with the knife finished ripping off her bra, revealing her breasts. She let out a soft whimper and closed her eyes; tears streaming down her cheeks as the other four fondled them against her will.  
  
“Play nice and you’ll get to kiss em’ goodnight.”  
  
The leader shoved her onto her knees.  
  
“Bite it off and you and your kids are dead.”  
  
He reached for his zipper, but he never got it open because Bane had just run him over with the motorcycle.  
  
Blake jumped off and tackled the guy with the knife as the bike did its work. The sound that flesh makes as it’s being torn apart by tires was disgusting. But, strangely satisfying knowing that it was a rapist and not some squirrel that was getting crushed beneath the wheels.  
  
Bane _really_ was becoming a bad influence.  
  
The cycle flipped on its side but Bane was expecting that. He jumped off and kicked the nearest man to him in the chest before grabbing the back of his neck and throwing him on the pavement. Blake’s own perp had gotten the upper hand and was currently trying to stab his throat but Blake headbutted him and kicked the knife away before kneeing him square in the stomach and smashing his head with his elbow.  
  
The man dropped; clutching his wounded head and another jumped at him but Blake decked him square in the jaw which sent him sprawling onto the ground like limp noodle. Bane had  the other two thugs in both hands and promptly smashed their heads together. He nodded to Blake before going to collect the motorcycle which had deposited itself at the very end of the alley.  
  
The woman had run off the moment Bane and Blake had arrived on the scene. The leader, who had just been decimated by the motorcycle lay on his belly; his skin mauled from his ass to the back of his neck. He writhed in agony and swore under his breath.  
  
He still had his gun in his hand.  
  
He could still raise his arm.  
  
He was pointing the gun at Bane, who had his back turned.  
  
No.  
  
 _“BANE!”_  
  
Blake dove for the gunman at the exact moment Bane turned to see what Blake was yelling about.  
  
A gunshot.  
  
 _His father was clutching his chest as blood blossomed from a newly formed hole. He crumpled to the floor as if his bones had vanished from his body. Blake cowered under the bed and watched the gunmen kicked him in the gut before trashing their apartment and collecting what valuable goods and money they could find to repay what Mr. Blake had owed them._  
  
Bane jerked back and stumbled as the glass visor of his helmet exploded. His knees buckled and he staggered for a moment before completely collapsing.  
  
Blake’s mind went blank as he attacked the already mortally wounded gunman; punching him over and over again screaming bloody murder. The man simply laughed it off; he couldn’t feel pain; his body was in shock.  
  
“Killed your boyfriend; You _cunt_.” He growled before passing out; most likely due to blood loss.  
  
Blake turned as saw Bane curled onto his side, his hands clutching his helmet.     
  
 _No._  
  
Blake didn’t care if the man was a mass-murdering terrorist anymore. He didn’t. He couldn’t. Not after... He stumbled over to the man. His body shaking, tears streaming down his cheeks in the sprinkling rain. He felt something build up in him, his teeth ground together as his chest swelled with rage and anguish.  
  
“Bane...”  
  
He knelt down and gently touched his shoulder; pulling off the ski mask. The helmet’s visor was completely shattered which meant-  
  
A raspy moan. A shudder of breath.  
  
Alive?  
  
“Robin.” Bane wheezed.  
  
 _“Robin.”  Mr. Blake whispered, blood bubbling up from his mouth._  
  
 _“Dad...”_  
  
 _“I’m so sorry.”_  
  
 _The men came back; their duffle bags full of stolen goods. The leader pointed his gun directly at Mr. Blake’s head._  
  
 _“Nightly night Johnny Boy.”_  
  
 _Another shot; Mr. Blake’s head exploded; bits of brain, blood, and hair splattered the carpet._  
  
Blake’s eyes widened. No one but his parents were allowed to call him Robin.  
  
His true name sounded strange on Bane’s tongue; yet fitting. He would let Bane get away with it only because he had just gotten shot in the head and somehow was still conscious.  
  
“Oh Jesus...” Blake whispered.  
  
Bane feebly moved his hand to touch his thigh. Blake pulled off the helmet to survey the damage.  
  
The guy had shot Bane’s mask.  
  
If it and his helmet hadn’t have been there he would have been a dead man. Blake heard the soft hiss of the analgesic escaping; tasted its sterile scent in the damp air.  
  
Blake didn’t realize how bad Bane’s injuries really were until that point; he was practically a fucking vegetable without that contraption to keep it at bay. Despite this, he felt a wave of relief swept over him; like a cleansing stream. Bane wasn’t going to die. They just needed to repair his mask.  
  
“Let’s get you home.”  
  
“Home?” Bane rasped. “Home is miles away... need a plane...”  
  
“The warehouse. We have to fix your mask.”  
  
Bane nodded feebly.  
  
“Can you get up?”  
  
Bane struggled for a moment; letting out a moan. Blake got his arm around his shoulder and lifted. Bane was nearly dead weight on top of him but he managed to get him on his two feet.  
  
“Good. Can you walk?”  
  
Bane made another pained noise and slowly moved his right foot forward but when he tried to put weight on it his body spasmed in agony and they both fell.  
  
“Come on. I can’t carry you. Where’s the fucker that bought this city to it’s knees huh?”  
  
“I... failed. You won.”  
  
“Where’s the guy who beat the Batman so bad he vanished for five months?”  
  
“He came back.”  
  
“Goddamit Bane, don’t piss out on me now.” Blake groaned while trying to lift him back up, “You’re a shit teacher _but you’re all I’ve got_... I need you to get up.”  
  
Bane snarled, he still had a little bite in him despite the tears streaming down his face. He fought although feebly to gain his footing they had to stop several times on the way over to the motorcycle; which Bane had propped up before getting his mask ruined. Blake helped him climb on top before going back to get the helmet; they couldn’t have the cops spotting them.  
  
Bane nearly fell off by the time Blake got back to him and placed it over his head. He got on behind him and reached around for the handlebars; it was a tight fit, but it would have to do.  
  
Blake sped off as fast as he could for the warehouse. 

* * *

  
It was slow going, Bane almost fell off twice and the rain just wouldn’t stop.  
  
But, at least Bane had enough strength left so Blake wouldn’t have to carry him inside. He led Bane to the bed and stripped off his helmet, riding gloves, jacket, and boots before letting him lie on his back in the nest of pillows and blankets before he assessed the damage further.  
  
Bane’s grey eyes were glassy and clouded over. He had never seen the man in so much pain. Pretty much all of the tubes and the mouthpiece were ruined and beyond repair.  
  
“I hope you have spare parts.”  
  
Grey eyes flickered up to meet his and Bane nodded.  
  
“I’m going to have to take the mask off to fix it properly.”  
  
He reached for the mask and Bane made a feeble noize, trying to swat him away. Blake had a feeling he wasn’t going to be happy but he needed to be able to move the mask around and didn’t want to risk hurting him further while fixing it.    
  
“I have to do this.”  
  
“ _Laa_.”  
  
Blake undid the clasps on the side of the mask and pulled it off of the protesting man babbling in his foreign tongue beneath him repeating the word _laa_ several times over.  Bane’s hands instantly went to cover his face but his body was too weak and they fell on his throat; the fingers curled in agony. Bane’s eyes were squeezed shut and he refused to look at him; he was shriveled in shame.  
  
His face was battered; riddled with scars like the rest of him. The shell of his left ear was completely gone; part of the right ear was also missing. He had a strong jaw and good cheekbones though. His nose looked like it had been broken and put back together several times and was slightly bent out of shape. His mouth... oh god. It must have been beautiful once; it still kind of was if you could ignore the ugly scars marring over those plump lips which were parted and trembling from the agony Bane was experiencing.  
  
He remembered the rumors surrounding what was under the mask during the Occupation. That  his jaw was completely gone, his nose and lips chewed off by wild animals, or he was badly burnt. He looked like an angel in comparison to those stories; but he still was ashamed nonetheless. He refused to look Blake in the eye and stared off towards the fire pit. There were fresh tears streaming down his face.  
  
“Bane... look at me.”  
  
Blake cupped his face into his hands but the man still wouldn’t look. So he did the only thing he could think of.  
  
He kissed him.  
  
He knew a kiss couldn’t take the pain away but he wanted to offer some form of comfort. He was surprised when Bane let out a soft moan and opened his mouth further to let him in. He tasted like medicine and mouthwash.  
  
And strawberries.  
  
Bane was a terrible kisser. But, then again he was in crippling agony so Blake wouldn’t hold it against him yet. When Blake pulled away he let out a groan of protest so he kissed him again.  
  
“Under... bed.” He finally said. His voice was softer now; with none of the mechanical rattle that made him sound so terrible before.  
  
The younger man planted his lips right between Bane’s eyes before leaning down to see what was underneath the mattress. He saw a large metal briefcase and pulled it out.  
  
Inside, were several spare parts to the mask, carefully nestled in foam protectant, some cylindrical canisters, several small bottles of a milky white liquid...  
  
And syringes....  
  
...needles.  
  
Blake hated needles.  
  
“Syringe...” Bane murmured, and feebly pointed to one of the bottles.  
  
“I have to stick you?”  
  
Bane nodded, telling him the correct dosage as Blake carefully filled the syringe with the fluid. He found a vein on his arm first and carefully injected the fluid into him; fighting to keep his lunch down as he did so. Bane let out a moan of relief and lay very still for a few minutes.  
  
“Bane?”  
  
Blake leaned over him. Did he give him too much? Too little? Was it the wrong bottle? In a flash, an arm reached up and grabbed Blake by the neck as Bane quickly rolled on top of him.  
  
“You will not _ever_. Remove my mask without my permission. Do you understand me Detective?”  
  
Blake was too dumbfounded to speak. He was mesmerized by the way Bane’s face moved without the mask;  how the nostrils flared in their rage and those beautiful lips twisted in anger.  
  
 _“Robin!”_ He barked sharply.  
  
“Okay. Okay. I understand... I’m sorry.” Blake squeaked.  
  
His hand was gone from his throat and suddenly their mouths were mashed together in a vicious possessive kiss.  
  
Bane _was_ a bad kisser all; he probably never had a chance to kiss anyone before. But, he was fast learner. Blake reached up and gently tried to teach him as his mouth was ravaged with licks and bites as well as kisses. Bane snarled at him and moved down to the sensitive crook of his neck which sent a spurt of arousal through him.  
  
“Oh _fuck_!” He moaned and tried to grind his hips against Bane’s .  
  
Suddenly, he  pulled away and reached for his ruined mask and the briefcase. Cockblocked by a chunk of scrap metal. Blake often debated telling him what the mask reminded him of sometimes.  
  
Then again the last thing Blake needed was to replace a fifty thousand dollar supercomputer because Bane would most likely destroy it upon finding out. Bane used to have a television. But the news reporter had said something unsavory about the late Miranda Tate (who as it turned out, was a spy for the terrorists) so he threw it across the room; if Bane was ever on a track team he definitely would be doing shot put.  
  
Yeah, not risking it.  
  
“Start a fire.” Bane told him sharply as he pulled off the ruined tubes.  
  
Bane and his fires. Blake was kind of glad that the ex-terrorist was feeling himself again. Heck, he was pretty glad that he hadn’t been shot in the head.  
  
“How long does that stuff last?”  
  
Bane glanced at him. His mouth pulled into a thin line.  
  
“Two hours.”  
  
“So this is how you eat?”  
  
“Yes.” Bane looked up at him in annoyance and pointed at one of the crates near the wall “The kindling and matches are over there.”  
  
Blake got a fire going fast enough; he’d watched Bane do it a hundred times over. After the flames were big enough he sat down beside it and watched as Bane worked away at the mask. He unscrewed the ruined tubes and replaced them with new ones with terrible efficiency. His lips were pursed in concentration and his nose wrinkled slightly; giving him an animalistic appearance.  
  
It was so hot.  
  
“You’re beautiful.” Blake blurted out.  
  
Bane paused and looked up at him; his mouth hanging open revealing a line of crooked teeth.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I said, your face is beautiful.”  
  
Bane’s brow furrowed and he pursed his lips again before looking down at his work.  
  
“You have strange taste, Detective.”  
  
“I have impeccable taste.” Blake quipped. “You’re fucking sexy.”  
  
Bane made a perfect example of a _“what the fucking fuck?”_ face. Who would have thought a terrorist had low self esteem?  
  
“Did one of those animals strike you on the head?”  
  
“No.” Blake retorted. “Did people make fun of you when you were a kid or something?”  
  
Bane’s eyes shifted back down to his work.  
  
“I never was a child.”  
  
Blake didn’t know if that was a literal or metaphorical statement. But he decided on metaphorical even though he could never imagine Bane as a baby shitting his pants and drooling on everything. He got up and sat down next to him on the bed as Bane finished the last set of tubing; setting the mask back onto the night table.  
  
“Aren’t you going to put it back on?”  
  
“I have two hours.”  
  
The next thing Blake knew he was pinned on the bed with Bane’s tongue down his throat. He moaned appreciatively at the action despite the fact that Bane was still a noob at this whole kissing thing.  
  
Bane kissed him everywhere; his eyes, his nose, his ears, he ran his nose though his hair and inhaled his scent. It was as if he was trying to make up for lost time of having his mouth trapped behind that metal contraption for who knows how long.  
  
Large hands slid underneath the fabric of his shirt; grazing up his chest and pinching his nipples which made Blake yelp and a lopsided smirk form on Bane’s face.  
  
God. Fucking. Damnit despite the scarring he looked amazing.  
  
Fuck that mask; _fuck it in the ass_. No lube. The mask didn’t deserve such a luxury. Blake was missing out on so much because of that stupid hardware.  
  
Bane then proceeded to rip off his shirt.  
  
Literally.  
  
Blake felt like a protagonist of the cheap romance novels usually found at gas stations or grocery stores; and Bane was about to ravage the shit out of him.  
  
He liked it.  
  
He also liked that shirt Bane just ruined but hey, you win some and you lose some.  
  
Bane was mouthing at his nipples now; so it was definitely worth ripping his favorite shirt. His cock went from a semi to a full so fast Blake felt a little lightheaded at the redistribution of blood flow. He moaned in appreciation and reached up to lightly scratch over Bane’s scalp as he worked one nipple with his mouth and the other with his hand before moving his mouth lower.  
  
And lower.  
  
 _Jesus Mutherfucking Christ._  
  
He felt his pants and boxers being pulled off and hands running over his bare thighs as Bane also explored them with his mouth, nipping and licking occasionally as he dragged back up to where his hip bones jutted out  before moving down again.  
  
A hand impatiently pushed his legs apart and he attacked Blake’s inner thighs licking and sucking viciously which make Blake mewl and his back arch in pleasure. One of Bane’s slid up to his cock and began stroking him before leaning up-  
  
Bane licked him.  
  
 _There._  
  
Blake didn’t know how he felt about that; as far as he knew Bane had no prior experience to giving head- oh fuck.  
  
Blake let out a gasp when Bane took him fully into his mouth, his tongue teasing the head as he slowly worked him. One of his hands stroked along his shaft as well. Blake swore; grabbing the bedding and trying not to thrust up into Bane’s hot mouth as he continued to suck him.  
  
Bane let out a hum of amusement at his display and Blake realized that he had learned all this stuff from him; based on all the times he had sucked Bane off in the past.  
  
He was like a goddamn sponge; soaking in new information everywhere he went. Nothing ever got past him.  
  
It was kind of scary, but.  
  
Fuck....  
  
Blake leaned up to watch those beautiful marred lips working his cock as Bane tried different things; all pleasurable of course. His steely grey eyes never left his own when Bane realized that he was being observed. He saw that Bane’s free hands moving around out of sight and Blake assumed that he was jerking himself while he sucked him off.  
  
He let his head flop back onto the bed with a sigh until he felt slicked fingers probing his ass.  
  
Bane was just getting lube out of his pocket while sucking him.  
  
Multitasking bastard.  
  
Blake’s body was pretty accustomed to Bane by now so it didn’t take long for Bane to get him wet enough and ready to go before releasing his dick with a wet pop. Blake groaned in protest at the loss of sensation. Bane simply chuckled softly and stripped off his shirt and pants before climbing up onto the bed; pushing Blake’s knees up to his chest and entering him.  
  
Blake cried out and trembled as Bane started rocking slowly; leaning forward to suck and lick at his neck before kissing him. He could taste himself on his tongue which was strange; yet even more arousing.  
  
Bane grunted and began to thrust faster; hitting Blake’s prostate with lethal efficiency while he attacked Blake’s neck and mouth. Blake moaned while wrapping his arms around his waist as Bane snarled and bit his bottom lip after a prolonged kiss.  
  
Bane was really bitey.  
  
Blake liked that.  
  
He could feel his release getting closer and Bane settled on nibbling the sensitive flesh where his neck ended and his shoulder began. His soft grunts of pleasure occasionally turn into snarls as he delved deeper in his own anticipation.  
  
Finally Bane shuddered and let out a wet moan as he came undone on top of him; his body going lax just as Blake finished a few moments later; his come coating their stomachs. The man nestled his face in the crook of Blake’s neck as a satisfied sigh left him.  
  
“Oh, Detective...” He murmured softly. “My ...Robin.”  
  
His. Bane had said Blake was his.  
  
Blake wasn’t sure if he liked that.  
  
Bane’s lips brushed over his eyes, his nose, his temple while the younger man hummed beneath him; reaching up to touch his scarred face. He tensed for a moment and moved away at first but slowly relaxed and let Blake trace his broken nose down to his mouth. He ran his hands through Blake’s dark hair and pressed his forehead against his own.  
  
“Why do you call me Robin?” Blake asked; his voice shaky and hoarse.  
  
“John is too common a name for someone like you, Detective. Why are you so ashamed of it?”  
  
“Kids in school used to make fun of me; asked if I’d laid any eggs.”  
  
Bane frowned at him.  
  
“But male birds do not lay eggs.”  
  
Blake let out a soft giggle.  
  
“I was six years old and my parents sheltered me; I didn’t know shit.”  
  
He still didn’t get it. Apparently where he came from kids learned about the birds and the bees the moment they could comprehend human speech.  
  
Bane was definitely being metaphorical when he said he never was a child.

* * *

 

Blake spent the night watching Bane go through his “evening routine” since he still had roughly an hour and a half left before his medication wore off.  The routine consisted of him  first having a light supper (which he shared with Blake of course). It was pretty good but nothing too fancy, just some rice and vegetables cooked in some form of broth in a large pot which Bane fixed to hang over the fire.

  
Normally, Blake would devour anything Bane put in front of him. But he was too busy watching the man eat himself. Bane wasn’t used to the company in this state and kept glaring at Blake.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I haven’t seen you eat before.”  
  
“People consume food. If they do not they will die.” Bane replied. “This is no phenomenon.”  
  
“For me it is.”  
  
Bane cocked an eyebrow at him.  
  
“I told you I could take the mask off.”  
  
“I didn’t know there was a sexy beast underneath it.” Blake teased.  
  
Bane scowled and glanced down at his bowl.  
  
“So I am a monster to you.”  
  
Oh. Shit... fix it before he kicks your ass.  
  
“That’s a compliment.” Blake stuttered.  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“It’s uh... American slang. When someone’s a sexy beast it doesn’t mean they’re a sexy monster per se... it means they’re just really sexy like... _super sexy_.”  
  
“So you truly find me attractive... even like this?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Bane smiled. Or at least Blake thought he did. It was a small one; a ghost on his lips. It barely showed in his eyes.  
  
“You Westerners are strange with your compliments.”

* * *

  
  
The rest of Bane’s routine consisted of brushing his teeth, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash before shaving both his face and his scalp. Bane told him offhandedly that he would like be able to grow out his hair and beard but there was so much scarring on his scalp and face it would look like he had mange and the mask wouldn’t fit properly.  
  
Bane then cleaned out his mask with an old glasses cleaner and soaked it in a solution which would re-serialize it and got rid of any metal shards still left over from where that asshole rapist had ruined it. Then, he replaced the gas in the mask with a fresh batch from the canisters Blake had observed before.  
  
“Do you ever run out?”  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“Do you ever run out of medication?”  
  
“Of course.” Bane replied while and glancing at a small clock on his night table. He had roughly fifteen minutes left and was starting to feel the medication wear off.  
  
Blake was curled up at his side and kissing all over his face. Now that Bane wasn’t inhibited by the mask he was a little more likely to oblige him with a proper cuddle. Bane didn’t like the word cuddle; he preferred intimacy, or holding. Although he didn't mind the act itself.   
  
Pretentious asshole.  
  
“Do you make more?”  
  
“I never was a decent chemist.”  
  
“You have a supplier?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“Who is?”  
  
“Doctor Crane.”  
  
Blake looked at Bane in disbelief. He’d read files on Crane while working on the force to feed his Batman obsession. Crane liked to gas people as a form of torture and to test out his drugs. What wouldn’t stop him from using Bane as a glorified lab rat? One whiff could cripple him and the doses would keep coming with each breath.  
  
“I don’t think that’s safe.”  
  
Bane chuckled; it was more like a cough now.  
  
“Perfectly so. He and I already made an agreement not to tamper with the chemical components.”  
  
“He’s a sociopath which is fancy talk for someone who gives zero fucks about other people's _agreements_.”  
  
“I was quite prepared for that when I first approached him. I had already immunized myself to the hallucinogenic knowing he would try and test it on me. He was quite shocked when I was not feeling the effects after my first cannister change.”  
  
“What did you do?”  
  
“I beat him with a chair.”  
  
 _Typical._  
  
He shouldn’t have laughed. He felt awful afterwards. Poor Crane; he’d been there.  
  
“In exchange for his life and freedom from discovery he takes care of everything.” Bane continued, inhaling sharply.  
  
Blake realised the medication was wearing out. Which meant Bane’s beautiful marred face would be hidden under that hunk of metal which vaguely reminded him of something completely disgusting.  
  
Bane knew it too. He leaned in for more kisses before reaching for the mask with a trembling hand.  
  
He watched as Bane as Blake knew him disappeared and Bane as the world knew him took his place with a low hiss. Blake had to remind himself they were the same person. And there truly was a man underneath the leather and tubing. A man with a lopsided smile and crooked teeth who liked strawberries and the color blue, who was also an excellent chef but sadly shitty teacher.

A man who was all that Blake had if he wanted to be able to protect Gotham.  
  
A man who almost died today while showing him first hand.  
  
 _A man._

* * *

  
  
Bane was preparing a lunch for himself when he heard Robin come in. He wasn’t expecting the younger man at this hour so he was pleasantly surprised albeit slightly nervous since he was without his mask.  
  
He had been forced to trust him with his darkest secrets. If things turned sour Robin would know how to easily defeat him and cut him off from his analgesic. The hairs on his arms prickled nervously until he heard the rustle of plastic.  
  
“What are you doing here at this hour?”  
  
“I brought something.”  
  
Bane turned and frowned at the plastic bag.  
  
Junk food.  
  
Robin was expecting him to eat Junk Food after he had set up a diet plan and painstakingly showed him how to decently cook. He may have well bought him dog food.  
  
“I’m not eating that.”  
  
“It’s strawberry flavored.”  
  
Blake pulled out a paper dish and peeled of the plastic lid before handing it to him. Inside was what appeared to be a deep pink ice cream which smelled strongly of strawberries; which in turn made his mouth betray him and start to water.  
  
“Ice cream?”  
  
Blake smirked at him.  
  
“Sorbet. Nothing but strawberries, ice, and sugar. I figured you wouldn’t try anything else.”  
  
Bane cautiously took the dish and a plastic spoon from him. He would try it, he supposed. A little sugar wouldn’t damage his system too much. It was surprisingly good. It tasted like real strawberries only slightly sweeter. He let out a hum of surprise. While Blake sat down next to him smiling triumphantly.  
  
“What do you have?” Bane asked curiously.  
  
“Birthday Cake flavored frozen yogurt with extra hot fudge sauce, gummi worms, Oreos, and brownies.”  
  
Bane frowned at him.  
  
“That goes against your diet.”  
  
“Toss me in the lake for all I care it’s fucking worth it.” Blake quipped while shoving a massive spoonful of sugar and fat into his mouth and making a face at the brain freeze he just gave himself in the process. 

Bane decided he would let him get away with this just once.  
  
Maybe more; but only if he bought more sorbet with him each time. **  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**

**Author's Note:**

> Strawberries being Bane's favorite food is a personal Headcanon of mine which was inspired by this video --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMPZ7WeDck
> 
>  
> 
> Fargo is a film that takes place in the Minnesota/North Dakota with ridiculously over the top Midwestern accents. It's a decent film if you like black comedy. 
> 
> Laa means "No" in Arabic. It's a rough translation so don't expect it to be pin-point accurate. 
> 
> Before The Dark Knight Rises came out and promotional photos were being released my brother pointed out that Bane's mask reminded him of a viral shock picture (because he has a filthy mind) Here's the Urban Dictionary definition of it to avoid nastiness --> http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Goatse
> 
> The cheap romance novels in question are called bodice-rippers. Appropriate. 
> 
> During the Knightfall story arc in the comics, the Joker and Scarecrow team up but Scarecrow double-crosses ol' Mistah Jay and gasses him. The Joker of course ends up being immune and retaliates with a chair beating. 
> 
> Blake brought Bane Tutti-Frutti's in case you're wondering.


End file.
